Oil and gas separator



a D. LORRAINE OIL AND GAS SEPARATOR Filed May 26. 1924 04 W0 6. LORRAINE therefrom,

Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFF-ICE.

DAVID G. LORRAINE, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

OIL AND GAS SEPARATOR.

Application filed May 26, 1924 Serial No. 715,894.

separator for protection thereof,'with the valvular control for the oil. mounted on the exterior of said tank, so that access may be readilyhad thereto for draining said valve of accumulated sand or other foreign matter,

It is a further object of the invention to provide a separator having the valvular controls for the gas and oil arranged as described,-with said valvular controls operated b acommon float mechanism which is movable responsive to variations in the oil level in the separator.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a construction wherein the heavier constituents of a flow will be discharged in a quiescent state into a settling chamber, so that the gasmay readily rise and .the li hter constituents which readily separate rom the incoming flow, will, without first passing through said settling chamber, be suitably agitated for separatlon of any oil remaining mixed therewith, and then discharged through the v gas outlet along with the gas rising from the settling chamber.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a'separator constructed in accordance withthe 1nvention. f

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a, horizontal sectionlon the line 3+3 of Fig. 1.

The separator comprises a closed casmg 1 having a sand discharge 2 at the-bottom thereof, and having a man-hole provided with a removable cover 3 at the top of said casing.

A transverse vertical partition 4= is arthe gas chamberis formed by cutting a verranged in the u per portion of the casing at one side thereo the sides of said partition meeting the side wall of the ca s" to form a; space separated by said partition from the main portion of the casing. This space" is closed at its top by a horizontal partition '5 extending from partition 4 toward the casing wall and connected to an annular flange 6 mounted in casing 1 above part1- tion 4 as will be hereinafter described.

The partition 4: extends downwardly to a point somewhat below midway of the height of the casing, and the side space formed by the partition is open to the main portion of the casingbelow said partition.

Anannular casing 7 of appreciably less diameter than casing .1, is concentrically mounted in the latter at the upper portion thereof above partition 4, theannular flange 6 extending from the lower edge of casing 7 toward the wall of casing '1, with the periphe'ry of said flange spaced slightlyfrom the casing wall so as to form an annular restricted opening 8 beyond said flange.

An annular flange 9 extends from the upper edge of casing 7 to the wall of casing Land is spaced belowthe top of casing 1 so as to form a space for valve mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The construction as thus described provides an annular chamber between casings 1 and 7 with the ends of said chamber closed by flanges 6 and 9, the said chamber being continuation of the settling chamber in the lower end of the separator below the partition. 1 I t A pipe 10 is mounted in an opening in flange 6, so as to communicate with the side space formed by partitions 4 and 5 and said flange, the upper end of said pipe extending into the cleaning chamber and terminating in a horizontal nozzle which is circumferentially disposed with relation tothe vertical walls of the cleaning chamber. The nozzle opening ispreferably horizontallyrestricted as shown in Fig. 2..

, A discharge from the cleaning chamber to tically extending lip in the wall of easing 7 and bending said 11p inwardly to form an elongated opening 11,. said discharge opening being arranged slightly in rear of nozzle 10 with relation 1% the direction of circumferential discharge from said nozzle.

The space in back of partition 4 is an inlet passageway for the flow from an oil well,

the'flow inlet means comprising a pipe 12 I 4 extending through the casing wall and into said space near the top thereof, with the portlon of said pipe in said casing being horiaontally disposed and havinga lateral openmg inthe underside thereof.

As the flow from an oil well enters th inlet passageway through pipe 12, the lighter gas which immediately separates from the heavier constituents of the flow, will rise' in back of partition 4 and be discharged through nozzle '10 into the cleaning chamber, and the remainder of the flow will gravitate through the inlet passageway to the settling I chamber.

In the settling. chamber the heavier sand and Water mixed with the flowqwill settle below the oil which is maintained in a quiescent state, and the gas which is mixedwith the oil will rise into the gas chamber.

The gas dlscharged through nozzle will cause rotary agitation in the cleaning chamber,-so as to separate by centrifugal action,

any oil remaining mixed with the gas, and the 011 thus liberated will return to the settIing chamber throughv the restricted annular open1ng8 at the periphery of flange 6, while the dry gas after passing around the clean-' ing chamber, will be discharged through openlngll into the gas chamber.

.An oil outlet 13com'municates with the settling :chamber through the wall of casing 1, and a'valve 14 controlling said oil outlet,

is mounted on the exterior of the casing and 1s adapted to have any suitable oil pipe con nectedthereto' for removal of the oil.

A gas outlet conduit 16 extends through the Wall of easing 1 above 'the cleaning chamber, and a valvular control is mounted on said conduit inside of the tank, with.

the-outerend of said conduit adapted for connection to any suitable gas line.

By this arrangement valve. 15 which 'is not subjected to excessive wear or clogging act1on and therefore does not, require frequent inspection or repair, will be protected against injury by its position inside of the separator, and valve 14 for the oil line, which is liable to become cloggedby sand or the like, is readily accessibleupon the exterior of the separator,'s1nce 1t requires close inspection and replacement of parts Va1v e-1 4 's actuated by a rocker arm 17 extendmg into casing 1'through' oil outlet 13, and said valve is preferably counter balanced by a weighted arm 18 fixed to the operatlng shaft thereof; and the valve 15 for the gas discharge is also operated by a rocker arm 19. v

The rocker arms for the valves are connected by links 22 to arms 21' which are ivay of, the height of the separator and in front-of partit1on4, and will rise and fall .charge of oil and .exterior of the device, a

responsive to variations in the oil level in caslng 1. The movement of the floatwill in turn actuate valves 14 and 15 through the operating connections,- a-fer regulating disas the separator in accordance with tl ie level of the flow with relation thereto.

The construction asthus described provides a convenient and practical arrangement of the valvular controls for the oil and gas, and'also provides for eflicient separation of the oil from the gas, by the provision ofa cleaning chamber arranged for rotary aglta tion therein. i g

It will'be apparent that various changes may be made in the construction, combination, and arr'angement'of parts as thus de- 1 scribed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim: I

1. A device of the character described comprising a settling chamber, a gas chamber, a discharge from said settling chamber. a valvularcontrol for, said discharge at the as discharge from said gas'chamber, a va vular control for said gas discharge inside of said gas chamber, a float movable in accordance with the.

level of a flow relative to the device, and

operating connections between the float and? the respective valvular controls. 2. A device of the character described comprising a tank'having a flow Inlet and a forming a settling chamber and a gas cham ber, 'a discharge fromv said settling cham ber, a valvular control for said discharge at the exterior of said tank, a; gas discharge from said gas chamber, a valvular control for said gas discharge inside said tank, a float movable in accordance with the level of. a flow relativeto the device, and oper her and a gas chamber, a discharge from 'ating connections between the float and the said settling chamber, a valvular control for said discharge at the exterior of said tank, a

gas discharge conduit leading fromsaid' gas chamber through the wall of said tank a valvular control for said conduit supporteds thereby inside said tank, a float in said tank,

and operating connections between said float and the respective valves.

4. A devibe of the character described having a flow inlet and comprising a settling chamber, a gas chamber, an

ranged for circumferential movementtherein of the lighter portion only of the-flow.-

a cleaning chamber open to said flow inlet and ar-' having a flow inlet and comprising a settling.

chamber, a gas chamber, an annular clean-- ing; chamber, and a conduit open to' said flow ber.

6. A device of the character described comprising a tank forming a settling chamber and a gas chamber above thesame, and an annular cleaning chamber in said tank around said gas chamber arranged for cir- .cumferential movement therein of the lighter portion only of a flow into said tank.

7. A device of the character described comprising a tank .having a flow inlet and forming a settlingchamber and a gas chamber below and above'said flow inlet +respectively, and an annular cleaning chamber 10. A device in said'tank around said gas chamber having an intake open to the-flow inlet and a discharge open-to the: gas chamber, the relative position *and arrangement of the intake and discharge reventing any flow from the cleaning cham er to the gas chamber without first passin around substantially the entire cleaning 0 amber.

8. A device of the character described comprising a tank form in a settling chamber and a gas chamber a ove said settling chamber, a vertical inlet passageway at the side of said tank open at its lower end to said settling chamber, and an annular cleaning chamber in said tank' around said" gas chamber and open to the upper portion of said vertical inlet passageway anddischarg- 'ing into said gas chamber.

'9. A device of the ch racter described having a .flow, inlet and comprising a setthng chamber, a gas chamber, and a cleaning chamber 'adaptedto receive the lighter portion only of the flow from said flow inlet, said cleaning chamber having a discharge into said gaschamber and an opening at the bottom thereof for discharge ofithe heavy constituents of theflow to said set-; tling chamber. V

'of the. character described havin .a flow inlet and comprisinga settling c amber,-a gas chamber, and an annular cleaning cham er open to said flow inlet and discharging into said gas chamber, said cleaning chamber having a restricted opening at theouter circumference of the base thereof for. discharge of the heavy constituents of the flow to said settling chamber.

11. A device of the. character described comprisin a settling chamber, a gas chamher through the wall t ereof, awalvular con- 7 ber, a disc arge from said settling chamber,

trol for said conduit inside of said gas chamber, a float movable in accordance with .the levelof a flow relative to the device, and operating connections between the float and the respective valvular controls. j

12. A device of the characterdescribed having a flowinlet and comprising asettling chamber, a gas chambena cleanlng chamber open to said flow inlet and arranged for circumferential movement. therein, a discharge from the settling chamber having a valvular control, a float movable in accord ance with the level of a flow relative to the device, and an operating connection between said float and the valvular control,

having a.flow inlet and comprising a settling chamber, a gas chamber, an annular cleaning chamber, and a conduit open only to the lighter constituents of the flow at 13. A device ofthe character described 4 said flow inlet and. discharging into said annular cleaning chamber ,circumferentially thereof.

11 t. A device of the character described having a flow inlet and comprising a settling chamber, a gas chamber, and-an annular cleaning chamber, 's aid cleaning chamber having a port adapted for discharge therefrom to-said V as chamber at a tangent to said annular c eaning'chamber.

15. A device of the character described having a flow inlet and comprising a settling chamber-and a'gas chamber below and above said flow inlet respectively, and a cleaning chamber open to said flow inlet and discharging into said gas chamber only after' passage of all of the flow in the cleaning chamber around substantially the entire circumference thereof.

comprising .a tank forming her and a gas chamber a ove said settling chamber, a vertical inlet passagewayin said tank open at its lower end to said settling chamber, and a cleaningchamber-- in said- 16.'A device of the character described I v a settling cham tank and open to the .upper portion of said verticalinlet passageway and arranged for circumferential movement therein.

17. A device of the character described,

having a flow inlet and comprisinga. settling chamber,- a gas chamber, and a cleaning chamber open to said flow inlet and arranged j for circumferential movement therein and discharge intosaid gas chamber,-said cleaning chamberhaving a closed base with an annularopening therein for discharge of the heavy constituents'of the flow to said' settling chamber. a

a valvular control for said discharge at the- In testimony whereof I have aflixed my exterior of said settling chamber, a gas dischar e conduit lea from said gas chamsignature tothis specification. 4

a *navm; G. LORRAINE. 

